Reflux Drugs: Bad For Your Heart?
Millions of Americans take medications to control reflux or GERD. But are these drugs really safe for long-term use?
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
If you complain to your doctor about chronic heartburn or reflux, you’re very likely to get a prescription for Prilosec, Nexium, or one of the other potent acid-blocking drugs known as proton-pump inhibitors. These drugs are very effective in relieving the symptoms of acid reflux. However, the symptoms are likely to return as soon as you stop taking them, which is why more and more people simply continue to take them indefinitely.
As I discussed in my episode on reflux, I think using these medications as maintenance drugs is a very bad idea. (And I’m not the only one: the FDA recommends that this drug should not be taken for more than three two-week periods in a single year.) When you suppress your stomach acid, you impair your body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. But now there’s an even more compelling argument against long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors.
These acid-blocking drugs also appear to harm the cells that line the arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent analysis found that people taking proton-pump inhibitors were 20% more likely to suffer a heart attack.
In my previous episode, I had some tips on how to address the root causes of acid reflux, ideally making acid-blocking medication unnecessary. But for those who simply cannot control the symptoms without medication, there is one piece of good news. Another class of heartburn drugs known as H2-receptor antagonists is not associated with increased risk of heart attack. H2-receptor antagonists include Zantac and Pepcid.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.